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Virginia au Augustus
Mustang, or Virginia au Augustus, is a gold of House Augustus, and is the only daughter of Nero au Augustus. Background She was considered stronger of the two twins born to Augustus; however, since Adrius survived, she was not in line to be the heir. She admired her elder brother Claudius, and came to resent and fear her twin brother Adrius, who exhibited alarming aggression when it came to proving himself. Personality Mustang is known best for her genius level intellect and high IQ. She is seen as something of a visionary at her age among the Golds, and shows great skill for politics. She has keen political instincts and is willing to befriend, charm, and work with others well, winning friends and allies easily. Mustang is very loyal to her family, even when they don't demonstrate the same in return. Despite her father and her brother's occasional scorn for her, Mustang does her best to ensure the strength and safety of her family, and works with them as far as her morals allow her. Mustang initially doubts whether The Rising can be effective, and despite writing about fairer treatment of the lowColors, she shows a degree of prejudice against them. However, her time with Darrow, his family, and with other members of The Rising allows her to understand their grievances and their purpose, and she fights for them willingly. Relationships Love interests Darrow Mustang meets Darrow in the Institute, and is initially pitted against him, as she leads House Minerva and he leads House Mars. Darrow defeats her in battle, but allows her to escape when he fears what some of his side might do to her. Mustang repays him by nursing him back to health when he is wounded. Together, they succeed in the Institute and defeat the other houses. However, Darrow's decision at the end to join her father and study at the academy forces them apart. They later meet when Mustang is now with Cassius au Bellona, though she is mostly with him for political means and to ensure the safety of her family as opposed to genuine romantic affection. She and Darrow later reconcile and work together, consummating their relationship. However, her discovery of his true heritage as a Red, and learning of her brother's betrayal of Darrow forces them apart yet again. In Morning Star, they reunite once again, and this time work together to bring down the Sovereign. Despite their differences, Mustang comes to accept Darrow's agenda as leader of The Rising and advises him loyally. At the end of the novel, they are fully reconciled and Mustang reveals to Darrow that they have a son together whom she named Pax. Cassius au Bellona Mustang meets Cassius at the Institute, where he is unaware of her identity as the daughter of his family's arch-rival. Mustang does not seem to think Cassius very bright, but does find him to be handsome. In Golden Son, it is revealed that after Darrow left for the Academy, Mustang began a relationship with Cassius and was even engaged to be married to him. However, Mustang later reveals to Darrow that her relationship with Cassius was primarily to ensure the safety of her family, and not one of love. She asks Darrow to spare his life when he humiliates and defeats Cassius in a duel. Shortly after this however, Mustang ends her relationship with Cassius and begins one with Darrow. In Morning Star, Mustang has little to do with Cassius, and makes it clear that their relationship is well behind them. She does however, ask Cassius to stay and help with the new government she and Darrow intend to set up. Cassius declines and instead leaves in a self-imposed exile. Family Nero au Augustus Mustang's father Nero is a cold man who often seems dismissive of his daughter and disregards her will and beliefs. Mustang for her part disagrees with many of her father's views and the two do not get along very well. However, Nero does respect Mustang's intelligence, and sees her as being exactly like her mother, understanding her better than he lets on. Mustang in return does what she can to protect and ensure the safety of her father and their family, regardless of their tumultuous relationship. Adrius au Augustus Mustang's twin brother, Adrius was deemed to be weaker than Mustang from birth, but was able to stay alive and thus be considered the primary heir of the family ahead of Mustang. Her relationship with her brother is complex, as in their youth Adrius would attempt to outwit and prove himself smarter than his sister, having her complete mazes he devised as a means of testing his superiority. Adrius would feign affection when Mustang solved them, and would then lash out in self-violence towards himself later and in private, something his sister witnessed. Mustang attempted to protect his feelings by pretending to not be able to, but Adrius would see through her. Their competitive nature and Adrius's hand in the death of Claudius drove them apart, and neither has much outward affection for the other. Mustang believes that Adrius is the only person who is smarter than she is. Mustang helps Darrow defeat Adrius in the Institute, and delivers him to Darrow naked and tied up. Adrius bears a fierce grudge over this and murders their father Nero and drives Mustang away after Darrow's defeat in Golden Son. Their relationship comes to a head in Morning Star, where Adrius is finally defeated and is ordered to be executed. When he is hung, Mustang is there to hold him and pull him down, indicating that despite everything, she did love her brother. Claudius au Augustus Mustang's elder brother, Claudius and her were close and she looked up to him and admired him. His death changed her family, which Mustang mourns, and she later bears a grudge against her brother for his part in his death. Appearance She was noted to be small and slender, about half of Darrow's weight and around 6'1 feet tall. She has bright golden hair and eyes. Involvement Red Rising=Mustang enters the Institute as a Premier entry alongside her brother, and is assigned a House without a draft. Mustang becomes Primus of her house, House Minerva, and battles against Darrow and House Mars. Though she initially seems to hold the upper-hand over him, Darrow's clever strategies and out of the box thinking take Mustang off guard, and Darrow is able to utterly destroy her house. However, he allows her to escape after fearing what some members of his house might do to her. Mustang pays Darrow back for this, rescuing him after he is betrayed by Cassius and badly wounded. She nurses him back to health and their time together causes Darrow to be reminded of Eo when he's with her. Mustang and Darrow form an alliance and work together to defeat the other houses and even attack Olympus, where the Proctors reside. Mustang encourages Darrow to change the system and change what it means to succeed in the Institute. Mustang does not reveal to Darrow that she is the sister of the Jackal, Adrius au Augustus, one of Darrow's chief rivals. She offers to hunt her brother down for him, and much to Darrow's surprise, she comes through for him and successfully captures her brother. Darrow and House Mars thus win at the Institute. |-|Golden Son=She begins a relationship with Darrow shortly after leaving the Institute, but Darrow's decision to serve her father and go to the Academy pushes them apart. Two years later, Mustang has started a relationship with Cassius, though not out of love, but instead to ensure the safety of her family. She and Darrow meet again where both argue, and each declares that they cannot recognize the other. She watches Darrow easily defeat and humiliate Cassius in a duel. When Darrow is about to strike Cassius down, Mustang stops him and asks him not to lose himself. Darrow complies, and Mustang and him share a moment, back together on the same page. She ends her relationship with Cassius shortly after this. Later, Mustang is given a position by the Sovereign, Octavia au Lune, who recognizes her potential. She joins Darrow and her father in the Civil War amongst the Golds, but cannot understand Darrow's reasons or ambitions. Nonetheless, they grow closer together and consumate their relationship. However, Mustang feels betrayed when she learns that Darrow is actually a Red, and is suspicious of him and of the Rising. Darrow tells her of his mission and his plan to upend the Society and grant better rights and freedom to the lowColors, but Mustang loses her trust in him. She abandons Darrow after this, and learns shortly thereafter of her brother's treachery and the plan to trap Darrow. She is able to successfully flee, but Darrow is captured by her brother. |-|Morning Star=A year later, Mustang is still an outlaw from the Society, and has the support of several Gold families, such as the Teleanamus's and the Moon Lords. She is reunited with a recently escaped Darrow in a fight, and the two part in surprise and shock. She later intercepts Darrow and reveals that she had taken command of the remnants of his forces, but kept his commanders in tact, including those of the lowColors, which surprises Darrow. Mustang tells Darrow that his words convinced her, and she is willing to give his methods and his cause a chance, if Darrow is able to prove himself to be more than a warrior and avenger. They work well together and battle the Sovereign and her forces together in a series of conflicts. Mustang and Darrow become close again, with Mustang comforting Darrow in his moments of doubt and sorrow. Mustang regains her trust in Darrow and befriends his family, confiding in his mother a secret she has kept from him. Darrow is able to successfully defeat the Sovereign and Adrius with the help of several others including Mustang, and The Rising is successful. Mustang is made the new Sovereign, a position and responsibility she does not want, but accepts for the sake of peace. She disbands the Senate and the Board of Quality Control, and begins a new relationship with Darrow, him as the leader of the Rising and the voice of all the lowColors, and her as the Sovereign of the Golds. She reveals to Darrow that they have a son together, born from their union in Golden Son and whom Mustang gave birth to during Darrow's year in captivity. She named him Pax, after their friend from the Institute. Trivia The asteroid 50 Virginia may have been named after her * She participated in the Suvudu Cagematch in 2015, where her power is "Withering Scorn." Quotes * '''You can treat your friends like servants and they'll love you, but you tell them they're servants and they'll kill you.' ''- Red Rising, Ch. 34: The Northwoods * '''I am the mustang that nuzzles the hand. People know they can work with me.' ''- Red Rising, Ch. 34: The Northwoods * "No. Don’t speak. It’s not your turn just because I pause." Category:Characters Category:Golds Category:Females Category:Red Rising Characters Category:Golden Son Characters Category:Morning Star Characters